IP Library Granted Patent US 8,231,164
Granted Patent B2
US 8,231,164 · App. 12/616,999 · Granted Jul 31, 2012

Removable in-floor storage device

Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,231,164
App. No.
12/616,999
Filed
Nov 12, 2009
Granted
Jul 31, 2012
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3612
USPC
296/37.14
Abstract

A removable in-floor storage device for a vehicle floorpan well, including a lid assembly have a frame mounted on a floorpan surface about the periphery of the floorpan well so as to define a frame opening, and a lid pivotally mounted on the frame to move from a closed position to an open position allowing access to the frame opening. The storage device further includes a removable storage bin adapted to be received within the frame opening and supported within the frame opening by the frame, to thereby define a storage chamber within the vehicle generally beneath the floorpan surface.

Claims (16)

1. A vehicle storage system comprising:

a vehicle floorpan defining a well extending generally beneath the floorpan surface with an upper portion, a lower portion, and a bottom surface, and a floorpan surface adjacent to the floorpan well;

a lid assembly including a frame separate from and attached to the floorpan, wherein the frame includes a perimeter wall extending into the upper portion of the floorpan well to define a frame opening, and wherein the frame defines a bin seat within the floorpan well adapted to support a storage bin received within the frame opening, and a lid pivotally attached to the frame and movable between an open position providing access to the frame opening and a closed position closing the frame opening; and

a storage bin removably received within the opening of the frame and extending into the lower portion of the floorpan well, wherein the bin includes an external feature adapted to engage the bin seat of the frame to thereby support the storage bin within the floorpan well of the floorpan, whereby the storage bin defines a storage chamber generally beneath the floorpan surface.

2. The vehicle storage system of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes an external flange overlying the floorpan surface.

3. The vehicle storage system of claim 2 , wherein the external flange of the frame is attached to the floorpan surface.

4. The vehicle storage system of claim 2 , wherein the floorpan surface defines a peripheral recess about the floorpan well, and wherein the external flange of the frame is disposed within the peripheral recess.

5. The vehicle storage system of claim 4 , wherein an upper surface of the external flange of the frame is generally coplanar with the floorpan surface adjacent to the peripheral recess.

6. The vehicle storage system of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a frame feature extending inwardly into the frame opening, and wherein the bin seat is defined on the frame feature.

7. The vehicle storage system of claim 6 , wherein the frame feature is an internal flange extending inwardly from the perimeter wall of the frame.

8. The vehicle storage system of claim 7 , wherein the external feature of the storage bin is a continuous peripheral flange complementary to the internal flange of the frame.

9. The vehicle storage system of claim 8 , wherein the continuous peripheral flange of the storage bin is disposed completely within the floorpan well when engaging the bin seat of the frame.

10. The vehicle storage system of claim 8 , including a notch in the continuous peripheral flange of the storage bin facilitating removal of the storage bin from the frame opening.

11. The vehicle storage system of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter wall of the frame is disposed only in the upper portion of the floorpan well.

12. The vehicle storage system of claim 1 , wherein the storage bin includes a bottom wall, and wherein the bottom wall of the storage bin is spaced from the bottom wall of the floorpan well when the storage bin is supported within the frame opening by the bin seat of the frame.

13. The vehicle storage system of claim 12 , wherein the external feature of the storage bin includes an external outwardly extending bin flange configured to engage the bin seat and support the bottom wall of the storage bin in spaced relation to the bottom wall of the floorpan well.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: FCA US LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHRYSLER GROUP LLC)
Reel/Frame 048177/0356 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: FCA US LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHRYSLER GROUP LLC)
Reel/Frame 042885/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RELEASING SECOND-LIEN SECURITY INTEREST PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL 026426 AND FRAME 0644, REEL 026435 AND FRAME 0652, AND REEL 032384 AND FRAME 0591 Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: FCA US LLC, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 037784/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 30, 2015
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: FCA US LLC
Reel/Frame 035553/0356 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 4, 2014
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 032384/0640 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 10, 2011
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 026426/0644 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 6, 2011
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 026396/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2009
From: SCHUBRING, JAMES D.; SCHNEIDER, WERNER H.; BOWERMAN, EUGENE R.
To: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 023584/0798 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61116711 · Nov 21, 2008
Related Publication 20100127032A1 · May 27, 2010